Simplest Terms
by midorimouse7
Summary: To Rose, in the simplest terms she was afraid. To Steve, in the simplest terms she ran away. Part of the Average universe.
1. Chapter 1

They had been dating for four months exactly, they knew each other for five, and Rose knew Steve was struggling to keep his secret. Sometimes it looked like he was going to tell her and sometimes it seemed like he wanted to leave in some heroic attempt to save her from being targeted. Both actions left Rose confused because she didn't know what she felt.

Rose had fought hard to become as normal as possible and prove that she was as average as any normal functioning human. If Steve did tell her who she was she would be a super hero's girlfriend and it would be the same story as home all over again. If he left, well Rose might just break the Statue of Secrecy and hex the man silly for even thinking that she was a fragile flower.

But the thought of Steve leaving her brought something else up, the fact that she was a witch. She had not told him of her abilities so he had no reason to believe that she was simply a vulnerable civilian. But she couldn't tell him, at least not yet. It was too early in the relationship and there were too many factors.

Telling him was only the tip of the ice berg. Steve was only part of the equation. Rose above all things was not stupid. She knew that S.H.E.I.L.D. (or any government sector really) would try and recruit her if her secret was found out. She knew she would endanger the entire wizarding population. Her wand would be snapped for exposing their secret society and the thought of losing her wand shook Rose to her core.

Yes, she left the wizarding world and moved to the States to live as an average muggle but magic was a part of her. Magic shaped and defined her very being. How else could you explain Hogwarts? Magic penetrated everything and influenced your life and Rose Weasley was scared of losing something that was so intimately close to her.

Rose saw that truth, even when she tried to deny it. Magic was a huge part of her and while she kept it a secret she was hindering her relationship with Steve. She was hiding a huge part of herself from him and she knew that their relationship would never go beyond much is she wasn't honest with him. He had a secret too and with both of them not sharing details they were living a lie.

She wanted a full relationship. She wanted to have that special bond her parents shared. She knew that Steve could very easily be the ONE but the thought scared her. She had only had one serious relationship before and even then she never felt as strong for him as she does for Steve. They were comfortable.

And it was then that Rose saw the reality, the one she had wanted to avoid at all costs. She loved him. He saw her as Rose, not daughter of Ron and Hermione Weasley. Not a part of the next generation of wonderful Weasleys. Not even as Hogwarts student extraordinaire. He saw her as Rose in the simplest terms and like her like that. And there laid the problem.

He liked her as she presented herself as a muggle and maybe magic would change that. He had super powers from a serum but he didn't hide his personality from her but rather hid his super powers. Rose hid a lot more. She hid her love for magical medicine. She didn't talk about things she did in school. She did even tell him she had a younger brother or how she admired her dad above all else. Steve shared aspects of his life even when he omitted things that in the end didn't really matter too much. Her secret was bigger and it would require all her Gryffindor courage to tell him the truth.

More than that Rose didn't know what she wanted more, Steve or magic. She couldn't decide and it was with that last thought that she bitterly decided to leave her flat.

The Sorting Hat had been wrong before.

**A/N: Okay, I know this is short and a complete 180 degree turn from the Average one-shot but it's important. Steve and Rose may have had an easy start but it couldn't stay easy forever they have some issues to work out. This is going to be longer than just a one-shot but probably no more than 5 chapters. I want to finish this around Christmas since I also have a Lucy/Dr. Banner one-shot planned and partly written out. **

**So any comments are welcomed. From outrage to approval, to comments on hoe short this it. **


	2. Chapter 2

Rose felt miserable. It had been three days ago that she had broken up with Steve and the pain still felt fresh. She wanted do break into the American Ministry and steal a time-turning to fix her mistake but she doubted her parents would approve of that. Not the breaking and entering but the fact that she would do that all for a boy. A muggle boy that was part of a secret government organization that would threaten the wizarding world. She might as well say she was dating Voldemort reincarnated.

Steve looked so shocked when she said she didn't think their relationship was advancing. His face fell when she said that and Rose felt so horrible and suddenly this cowardly way felt so much harder than the braver thing to do. But she didn't falter as she told him they should stop seeing each other before she fled in distraught.

Molly found her a few hours later as she stumbled into their flat in a completely drunken state. Tony was there and they were hunched over a city model when Rose stumbled into the room. One look at her red eyes and running mascara told them both that something horrible had happened with her and Steve.

"I broke up with him," was all she said before she deposited a nice puddle of goo at their feet.

"How much did you drink?" Tony asked in amazement as he ignored the statement that was issued from her mouth.

"A bottle of firewhiskey and a couple of other stuff," she mumbled as she tried to find a napkin in her purse.

"Why did you break up with him," Molly asked as she registered Rose's choice of drink.

"I thought it was easier than telling him the truth. You know about Mum and Dad?"

Molly's face flooded with understanding before she turned to face Tony, "I need to sort her out before she falls asleep on the floor. Though I'm shocked that even when drunk she can talk so sober…I'll see you tomorrow at Stark Tower?"

Tony nodded as he kissed her good bye, keeping a wary eye Rose as she heaved on the floor once more. Once she was sure that Tony had left she turned to face her cousin.

"Honestly Rose, what were you thinking? You could have done a million things at this point in your relationship. I mean yes, you have a secret but so does he. It's not like he's going to hate you for keeping things," Molly ranted.

"What if they snap my wand," Rose whispered as Molly felt herself freeze.

"What do you mean?"

"I know Steve would never betray me and I know Tony wouldn't do that to you either but they are part of S.H.I.E.L.D. They are under their scrutiny and it's not that hard to hack into muggle computers. Imagine if the American government found out?"

"I hadn't thought about that," said Molly.

"I love him but I can't give up my magic! The Ministry would never approve of me telling Steve, not while he's an Avenger. They'll Obliviate him or snap my wand and I can't stand either option."

"Why don't you just take him back home? Show him our world, muggle technology can't function in the Wizarding world."

"But he'll know. He'll know about the Golden Trio, how I'm the daughter of two war veterans," wailed Rose.

Molly could only stand there as she watched Rose shed tears, wishing that Lucy was here to sort this out.

_***…..***_

Molly was over at Stark Towers while carefully balancing a mug at her hip as she waited for Lucy to settle onto a chair.

Tony had told her that Steve was not taking the break up well. He became more distant and it was obvious he was hurting from Rose's distance. Molly hadn't even seen him but she knew it was because she would only serve as a reminder of Rose.

"They seemed so happy," she said softly.

"I still don't understand why she broke up with him. She said their relationship was at a standstill? They were only dating for a few months, how is that even possible?" said Bruce.

"She said she hasn't told Steve about her past. It wouldn't be fair for Steve to be kept in the dark about parts of her life that are such a huge influence on her personality," explained Molly.

"Past? Did something happen to her when she was younger? She mentioned her mom and dad that one time" said Tony.

"Her parents are famous back home. She's afraid he won't see her the same way if he found out about her parents. I think she sees at either keep her past a secret but break up with Steve or tell him the truth and he'll break up with her," said Molly.

"She's only seeing two of the many options. Usually she's so much better than this but I think it's because she's too close to the problem," Lucy finally piped up.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she only sees it as the worst possible and extreme scenarios," said Lucy as she stretched her legs.

"She can tell Steve. It's not like Steve will leave her for it. It will just mean that their relationship will take a little longer to develop again," she said as she shared a glance with Bruce.

_***…..***_

"I'm leaving for a little while," Rose announced to Molly and Lucy.

"What do you mean you're leaving? Is this about Steve? Look you're both miserable, just go talk to him. I'm sure you can fix it with him," said Molly.

"No I need to go. I…he's everywhere. I can't even go to work without thinking about him. I just need to go somewhere to think, to see the simplest part of the equation," said Rose.

"You're going home," said Lucy.

Rose nodded and Lucy went over to give her a hug. She knew Lucy would understand. Lucy had found her own answer but Rose needed to find her own. Molly was watching them with a curious glance.

Molly needed Rose to tell Steve because that meant she would be able to tell Tony. She needed an example, some precedent to lay the rules. Rose always told Molly exactly what she saw, but this time Rose couldn't see at all.

The irony was not lost on her as she got ready to run back for answers from the place she had run away from in the first place.

_***…***_

She had not told her family she was returning back to England because she wasn't sure what she was suppose to say. Going home would be useless since everyone was at the Burrow, it was family tradition after all. She didn't know if it was all her emotions running high or it was something about being back that made Rose burst out in noisy tears.

It took a while but silence fell upon the family until it finally two things finally registered: yes Rose was back and something was wrong because she was crying. At this point all Rose wanted was her mum because if anyone could fix this mess it would be Hermione Weasley.

"Rosie what's wrong," she heard her dad's frantic question as he made his way towards her. But that only made her cry harder. Her father who had such easy smiles only served as a reminder of Steve.

It was then that her mum had finally arrived to the yard and wrapped her arms around her daughter. Rose clung to her as she soaked in the familiar smell she grew up with.

"Rose, what's wrong," she heard her mum mutter.

"Steve," was all Rose said as she closed her eyes and allowed the world to set it. She was home and that was all that mattered.

It had taken a few hours for everything to settle down but for the most part people left her alone. She was taken to a room upstairs and her female relatives all comforted her with soothing words. She knew her dad was dying to come upstairs and ask about the boy that had broken his daughters' heart and it took the combined efforts of Uncle Harry and Uncle Bill to keep him from marching upstairs.

She told her mother everything─ her fear of losing her magic, the secret Steve had, how she didn't want him to see her as the daughter of Ron and Hermione the war veterans─ but she offered no advice. She just sat there listening before stepping out and Rose knew she was talking to dad and Uncle Harry. She had never known what she felt, the feeling of being overshadowed by fame but her dad and Uncle Harry knew that feeling and Hermione Weasley never gave advice without the full details.

A sot knock at the door distracted Rose from her musings and she was surprised to see it was her grandfather at the door.

"Can I talk to Rosie alone?"

It took a few minutes but eventually the room was deserted by every bar the two Weasleys. The silence was overbearing but Rose knew that when Grand dad Weasley wanted to talk to you it was best to wait for him to start the conversation. He would only drag it out longer if you tried to hurry it up.

"You should trust the people you love Rosie, you'll find that they might surprise you."

"I do trust Steve! But I don't want to lose my magic," said Rose.

"So you're dating a muggle. I always wanted to have a muggle be part of the family. You must bring him to the Burrow for the holidays," he said.

"I was dating a muggle. I broke up with him and it's all because I'm a Weasley," Rose said angrily.

"You don't mean that."

"But I do. I really like Steve but he's a muggle so I can't tell him about magic and if I do then he'll know I'm the daughter of Ron and Hermione Weasley. I like being Rose, no history and he didn't know anything about Hogwarts. He liked me for my personality and I didn't have to examine each situation," cried out Rose.

"Then why did you break up? There have been a lot of witches and wizards that have gotten together with muggles, you wouldn't be the first," said grand dad.

"But once he knows he'll know everything. From my family to my entire life and I liked how things were," said Rose.

"It's part of a relationship. You are supposed to figure out new things about each other. If he really feels strongly about you I don't think a few new facts are going to change that," he explained.

"He's a superhero. One of those flying in the air with a cape and saving people American heroes. If I tell him I'd be endangering the wizarding world," said Rose.

He simply shook his head in a negative response. Rose was not seeing the bigger picture. He could understand why, after all her past romances all ended because of her association with the Golden Trio. It had left her scarred especially when her best friend during third year left Rose after she had gotten together with James.

"If you really think a separation is the only answer then maybe he just isn't the one," was all he said as he stood and walked towards the door.

As soon as he walked out Rose was joined by her mother only this time she had brought her father and Uncle Harry.

"Rose, you're grandfather has a point," said Hermione.

"You can't really hide how you are. Trust me I've tried," said Harry as he flashed Rose with his scar.

"He's hiding things from me too," Rose said stubbornly.

"Like what?"

"He's an Avenger," said Rose.

"If it's a secret then how─ never mind. If he hadn't told you his secret then why were you so worried about yours?" asked Harry.

"He wanted to tell me. He almost told but I broke up with him before he had a chance," said Rose.

"Then you're lucky," said Ron.

"How? This just makes it complicated. If he told his secret then I would have to tell him mine," said Rose.

"It makes it easier because it shows you where he stands. Really Rosie I thought I taught you strategy. The bloke is already famous so your famous family is not going to bother him," said Ron.

"Rose when I first met your dad he was as average as they come. I already knew Ron well enough by the time I started liking him so when he became famous that didn't bother me," said Hermione.

"But you both become famous at the same time. You shared all these adventures so your fame was not a secret," Rose pointed out.

"My fame wasn't," quipped Harry, "I was famous before I even knew of the wizarding world. I had to learn to make friends that like me for my personality. It sounds like you already have it with Steve so you actually have it easier. Besides if the magic thing is bothering you just bring him here and make him give an Unbreakable Vow."

"Do those even work on muggles?"

"It's standard procedure for any muggle that enters the magical society. It's just the way the Ministry is trying to cover its bases."

"So I made a big deal for nothing," said Rose.

"You had every right to be scared. Telling a high profile muggle about magic can be tricky and it has to be verified by the Ministry. If you had told him and he had taken badly he would have been subjected to a memory charm," explained Hermione.

"You just needed to sort out your feelings. Nothing wrong there," said Harry.

"But if you aren't sure that's okay too Rosie. In fact you should bring him here before telling him. If I scare him off I'll be saving you loads of paper work trouble," joked Ron.

**A/N: Second chapter is done! I really want to high light the delicacy of the situation. Magic is always seen as this precious thing the books. So precious that people went to the extreme to "protect" it from outsiders and I don't think a war would erase the entire mentality. There is always going to be a fear that muggles will ruin the wizarding world (either via their blood or through their fear of the unknown) so I think it's reasonable to assume that telling muggles about magic is a big deal. **

**There is also the issue of Rose and her fear of fame. She wants to be average so badly and I think that even the remote possibility of becoming extraordinary makes Rose jump into overdrive. There is also the natural fear of progress in a relationship. Things are moving and to tell Steve her secret would also reflect the gravity of her feelings and I think strong emotions can scare people. **

**Next chapter will take a look at Steve and how he is holding up and the return of Rose to New York. **

**So does this paint a realistic take on the seriousness of magic? Is it too extreme? **


	3. Chapter 3

The next time Molly saw Steve was at one of those glorified office parties Tony threw at the Tower. He was sitting near the bar holding a drink while a young pretty brunette eying him from the side. It had been just shy of a month since Rose had left. She had sent an owl stating that although she had sorted things out she wanted to take a break of fresh air. She said she needed to put things into perspectives but that she would be back soon. It both comforted Molly and worried her.

The longer Rose was away the greater a chance someone would snatch Steve up. He was hurting right now and even though he wasn't the type for a casual fling the mental state he was in might push him to a rebound relationship.

"You're making that face again," said Tony.

"Look at him! She's been gone for a month and if she stays away any longer he's not going to make it," said Molly.

"I doubt a couple of drinks are going to kill him. Besides he deserves them," said Tony.

"Not that, though he's had more than a couple of drinks, it's the girl," frowned Molly.

"It's been a month Molly so you can hardly blame him. Maybe if they left on better terms but she just broke up with and went back to England," said Tony.

"I know! That's what makes it so frustrating. I can't march up to him and stop him and I can't force Rose to come back if she's not ready. I do wish she wasn't going back to France," said Molly as she turned away from the talking duo.

"I thought you were from England?"

"She's staying there with Gabrielle. She stayed there for a while before coming to New York so I guess she wants to stay there for a while before coming back," said Molly.

France was the best place for Rose right now. The Burrow was nice but being constantly surrounded by family wouldn't give Rose a chance to think. France was familiar and Gabrielle was a good listener and at the same time Rose had time to just sit back and breathe. She might have gotten her answers in England but she was going to make up her mind in France and Molly only hoped that the outcome would be for the best.

"Don't worry about her," Lucy chimed in as she joined them.

"That's my job remember? You go on adventures. Rose pretends to be normal and I worry. It's a brilliant system and we've had it for ages."

"She'll be back. Rose and Steve will work this out now that she had a chance to sift through her issues," said Lucy.

"You might not want to bet on that," said Tony.

"Why?" asked Molly.

"Seems like red heads aren't the only thing Steve likes," said Tony as the girls whirled around in time to see the young brunette and Steve kiss.

_***…***_

The advice her grand dad gave her still swirled in her head and to be honest she wasn't sure if Steve was the one. She liked him well enough but it scared her that after so few months she was so close to him. Those were the thoughts that swirled through her head when she first ran away.

She didn't have a chance to really dwell on it while she was at the Burrow. Her parents were delighted in having her back and wasted no time in trying to make her feel comfortable. She didn't mind their efforts too much because she didn't want to face her fears.

Seeing her cousins all gathered around and being happy made Rose content. It also made the choice harder for her. It made her wonder if she gave up on the magical world a bit too soon. Here in the world of magic they had found happiness. They all had the same problem as her, the problem of fame, yet they still managed to find people that saw them for their true selves. She wanted that and her family just wasn't enough.

It was then she realized the true core of her problems. She needed to decide what it was she wanted, stay home and maybe find happiness or go back and take a chance. Either option was risky and she needed a place to think so France was naturally next on the agenda.

The week in France was perfect. Here in France in the presence of a world that continued to move on ebbed away Rose's fear. Love is layered. One simple surfaced fact wouldn't destroy the entire foundation of a relationship. The only question now was did she love Steve and more importantly did he love her. It didn't take too long for Rose to gather up her Gryffindor courage after that.

It was too bad that courage failed her when she arrived.

The first thing she did was head back to the flat. Either her cousins were home or they were at the Tower. Since it was a little late in the day it didn't really surprise her to find the flat empty. Either way she needed to set her bags so Rose didn't really mind terribly.

She made her way to Stark Tower quickly before even the thought of phoning ahead even crossed her mind. She probably should have called because she wasn't allowed in the Tower. Apparently she had been gone to long so Rose was forced to wait for Tony to manually let her in. She had only been waiting for a couple of minutes when she was joined by a young woman.

She didn't recall ever seeing her but she supposed that there was probably a party of sorts at the Tower which would easily explain her appearance.

"Do you come to the parties often?" Rose asked.

"Sometimes, more now than before," the stranger answered easily enough.

"Ah," said Rose as she tried to stifle the awkward atmosphere with mindless chatter.

"Yeah."

They stood, fidgeting under the pretense of looking somewhat busy as they tried to will the door to open. The minutes stretched to what seemed like an eternity when Tony finally appeared at the door. Rose wasn't sure if the look of shock was at her appearance or at the other woman.

"Ah, Rose you're back. Molly didn't mention anything…Amanda why don't you go up. I need to key in Rose to the Tower again," said Tony.

The woman, Amanda as Tony called her, gave a lingering look at Rose before she went on her way. Tony had never looked so awkward and she wondered what it was that made him squirm.

"So did you have a nice time back in France? Lucy mentioned that you liked it more than New York. Good memories?"

"Yeah…I worked there for a bit before coming to New Work the first time. Look Tony, you look like that one time dad was hiding the fact that my goldfish died. Is something wrong?"

Tony didn't even have a chance to answer before Amanda came back down, this time tugging someone along with her.

"Thanks Tony for letting me in. I'll make sure to bring him back before his curfew."

Rose had to blink a few times to convince herself that she was not dreaming. It really was Steve holding some other woman's (Amanda her brain provided) hands. Steve looked a bit shocked as well but the look didn't stay long as Amanda already had him halfway out the door. The door clicked with a resonating thud and Rose turned back to face Tony.

"Well I can see why you were so nervous now," Rose said dryly.

"Well you were gone for a long time and ─"

"It's okay Tony. I didn't expect Steve to wait forever. You said Lucy was here too? We should probably go up then, she has this thing and always knows when I'm in the same building. If we don't hurry up she's going to get very annoying," said Rose.

She didn't expect Steve to wait forever, logically it was impossible, but she had hoped things would still be the same. But she had waited too long. Not that she could blame him. The girl he was going to confess his secret to went ahead and broke up with him before he had a chance. He probably thought it was his fault so he had no reason to believe Rose would come back for him. Plain and simple, she was too late.

**A/N: Chapter Three! So the next chapter will hopefully be out next weekend but with finals looming in a few weeks I might have to postpone until the holidays. That being said I have two possible ending planned out for this story. One is a much harsher end and another totally takes a leaf from Shakespeare and is more optimistic. **

**I wanted to the readers to decide which ending they want since I'm pretty much undecided as to which one I want more. Either way I would still post the alternative ending just not with this story. **

**I'm planning a collection of one-shots about the Average Universe or at least with the same concept. I would publish the alternative ending there. **

**I also wanted to thank everyone who had reviewed/followed/favorite this story. I didn't think the story would hit off so I'm really grateful for your reviews. **

**On that note, can Rose survive the competition? Will Molly take her role as protector too seriously? **


	4. Chapter 4

"You know that if you hold that glass any tighter it's going to crack. And seeing as you're jobless right now I don't think you can afford to go on emotional rampages," joked Tony.

"I can't help it, I'm a Weasley," said Rose as she placed down the glass. He was right of course, she couldn't afford to throw a tantrum. Not because of a fear of breaking things but because she had no logical reason to. She might have taken a long time to figure out her feelings for Steve but Steve had been sure of them and in her effort to run away from her emotions she stomped on his. He was happy now and Rose just had to accept that the source of happiness wasn't her.

"Maybe some distance would do you some good," said Molly.

"It's what caused the problem in the first place," said Rose.

"Not distance in that sense," said Lucy, "Maybe you should just find things to do. Before you broke up you used to spend all your time at the bookstore or with Steve. Maybe you should find something that is not attached to him. Maybe it can help you move on."

It made sense, what Lucy pointed out. All her previous activities had some connection with Steve so it was hard to be happy for him when she was surrounded by his presence. She could go to the American ministry but that would just mean running away again as they would keep her within the wizarding world. She needed to find something to distract herself with. She needed to find the same thing her cousins found at the Burrow, that unmistakable euphoria.

"But what can I do? My schooling is not very practical for any job in New York and I really don't want to go back to the bookstore," said Rose.

"You can go to school here. Study nursing since it's what you wanted to do back home. You've always been brilliant in school so it shouldn't be a problem. And Molly and I can take care of the rent. You did let us live there for free when we first arrived so it's only fair," reasoned Lucy.

"I can bribe the school if they don't let you in," offered Tony before Molly slapped his shoulder.

"I don't that would be a big problem. Rose is the daughter of the brightest student of the older generation," said Molly.

And with that Rose had a new path she was following. She applied for a nursing program and within two weeks she started classes. It was nice to have something to do and she longer moped around the flat. It also gave her a purpose. Before she was content in working at a bookstore, never really doing anything but now she was doing something with impact. She was saving lives.

She never had something challenge her as much as nursing. The material was easy enough to learn but a lot depended on individuals. She needed to observe at all angles, figure out the combination of symptoms and which of the many possibilities was the right one. She had wanted to be a healer back when she was young but as she grew older she lost interest in it. Everything seemed to be solved by a simple wave of a wand and she never really realized the depth that came with it.

Sometimes she missed the possibilities of magic. How a simple potion can re grow bones or a simple incantation fixed fractures but the satisfaction she got from actually working with a patient was something not present in the magical world.

She would sometimes go to a local clinic and watch nurses work, they welcomed a pair of free hands and stripping sheets had not specific certificate requirement. They gave her little tips and she formed bonds with fellow nurses. It was something Rose never really formed at Hogwarts and she reveled in it now. She was so caught up with this new world that she never noticed how she was slowly leaving her old world behind.

_***…***_

"Rose promised she would be here today. Where is she?" said Molly as she fidgeted in her dress.

"The party just started. I'm sure she'll be here eventually," Tony said.

"If she doesn't come because of Steve…"

"You can't blame Steve for her behavior. She left him so he found someone else. Rose could have called or wrote or a million of other things but she didn't," said Tony.

"I know. She messed up but she's family so I have to take her side," said Molly.

"Even if she's wrong?"

"I'm not saying that what she did is right but she's hurting too. Steve moved on so why can't I want the same for her," defended Molly.

A cheery hello interrupted Tony and they both turned around only to be greeted by Rose. She was wearing a simply dress and her hair was a mess. It looked like she ran home and threw the dress on before dashing back to meet with Molly.

"I'm sorry I'm late. The head nurse asked me if I wanted to work with some children today and I lost track of time. You would not believe how amazing it was Molly! I love working with older patients but children are such a fresh breath of life," Rose chatted enthusiastically.

"Someone seems happy," Tony said as he eyed Molly from the side, "So you're enjoying it then?"

"I love it. I mean I loved working at the book shop and I was happy enough but nursing is so…it's just so much more. I feel like I'm alive there, like I'm really alive and buzzing and it's just wonderful," said Rose.

"Well it's nice to see you looking happy again," Molly said softly.

"Not happy, euphoric," corrected Rose.

"Well I'm glad you found something to do. Now let us go to the bathroom because your hair looks like a mess," said Molly.

Rose didn't even argue as she let Molly drag her away. She knew she hadn't spent much time with her cousins but they were always at Stark Tower. Just because she could grudgingly accept that Steve moved on didn't mean she wanted a constant reminder. Besides the clinic helped her clear her mind. She was slowly letting Steve go, though she didn't think she could even completely forget her feelings. She screwed up with Steve but she learned her lesson. Her baggage didn't weigh her down as much and perhaps this would mean her future relationships wouldn't suffer the same tragedy.

"You could have at least put your hair in a bun," Molly said as she smiled fondly. Rose may not care too much about her appearance but she always made an effort to look out together.

"I didn't really have much time to think about it. The head nurse offered me an internship. I mean an official one with paperwork and everything," said Rose.

"I didn't think you would be so involved with this. When Lucy brought up the idea I thought it would be a nice way to help you clear your mind. You didn't like Healing back home so I didn't think this would last," confessed Molly.

"I didn't think I would like either. But it's so different, so muggle, and it challenges me. And I think it's making me a better person," Rose added the last part quietly.

"Is this about Steve? Because I want you to know that you didn't do anything wrong. You had to sort your emotions and you can't control your feelings," said Molly.

"But I could have handled it differently. I should have given Steve the benefit of the doubt," Rose said quietly.

"Why didn't you?"

"You remember back in Hogwarts? I was always watching people, thinking I was the greatest thing ever since I could read the situation so well. I never had to participate with people to understand because I thought I observed everything," Rose gave a bitter laugh, "I was so presumptuous. Honestly I don't know why Steve even liked me."

"You have more than one personality trait," said Molly.

"And yet that one trait overshadowed everything else. But I guess one good thing came out of it all. I'm getting past my old fears."

"What do you mean?"

"Like this internship. I got it because of my skill, a skill I had to learn. If I wanted to do this back home I would never know if I got it because I'm good at it or because I'm a Weasley. But here I know why I got it and I had to work for it. No slacking off with minimum work," said Rose.

And it was true. Rose would get away with minimum work before. Working at the book shop was easy since all she had to do as simple routine things and she was doing something she knew well. Nursing required study and extra work. She had to take the initiative and look for opportunities to get real life experience. She was sweating and experiencing frustration and she loved it all. She was finally creating the real Rose Weasley.

_***…***_

She was working on her internship for one month before she finally had the guts to go to Stark Towers. She still had feelings for Steve but they had dulled to something less painful. His relationship with Amanda was still strong and it hurt seeing them together but she no longer got the same overwhelming feeling of guilt when she saw them. And she made him happy so she couldn't really find it in her to truly hate Amanda.

She missed her other friends too so she didn't see why she should let the small discomfort she felt bar her from her social life. Just because she was busy exploring a new aspect of her life didn't mean she should ignore others.

"Rose, you came," said Lucy as she entered the room.

"Had a free night," smirked Rose, "Did you lose another fight with a lizard?"

Lucy touched the fresh scar on her arm before she answered Rose, "Not a lizard this time. But it did have very sharp teeth."

"Thanks for narrowing down the possibilities. Have you seen Bruce? I wanted to talk to him about his latest research."

"He's talking with Steve right now but he'll come and mingle eventually. I can tell you all about my latest job in the mean time," offered Lucy.

"It's fine, I'll go look for him," said Rose. Lucy gave her a measured stare before nodding and leading her towards Bruce and Steve.

"Hi"

She could tell her appearance was a big surprise. They both halted their conversation and turned around to fully face her but all they did was stare. She hoped it was because she was willingly talking to Steve and not the fact that she had missed so many get togethers but either option was plausible.

"Rose," Bruce finally broke the silence, "It's nice to see you again. I've heard you've been busy."

"Yeah…the clinic can be so crazy. But I did manage to find time to read your latest research article. I thought it was really interesting but I did find spots that seemed so Lucy."

Bruce smiled at the comment, "She's been around the lab so often I've started to pick up her manners. I didn't think anyone would notice though."

"It might have just been me. How about you Steve? Did you notice anything different from Bruce's writing quirks?"

Steve looked a bit taken back but answered the question nonetheless. "I haven't read his article actually, too much science terminology."

"Well I suppose that's true but the difference doesn't have to be in his writing. His speech sometimes sounds like Lucy too."

"I guess I never really noticed," said Steve.

"Well both of them have been around here a lot so you might not have noticed. I don't think I would have if I wasn't discussing the article back at work. Caroline, the head nurse for my regular shift, was talking about it and that's when it really clicked," said Rose.

"You've been talking about my articles with the other nurses?"

Rose blushed slightly at Bruce's questioning tone. She didn't see what the big deal was. His articles were interesting and Caroline always had a strong interest in science.

"You have a few fans at the clinic," grinned Rose.

"So you're a nurse now? I thought the study period was longer," said Steve.

"I bullied my way in," said Rose, "I went and job shadowed a few nurses and eventually I warmed up to them. Nothing helps you fit in more than changing the dirty sheets willingly."

"Well it must have paid off if you're doing an internship while still going to school," said Bruce.

"Yeah well I would have done it regardless. Not the internship but the work. It's just so interesting and I feel like I'm accomplishing something. I guess I found my true calling then," said Rose.

"No more books for you then," teased Bruce.

"I wouldn't go that far. I just found something else to share my love with. Oh! Lucy is waving you over, I think. Or maybe it's me…no it's you," said Rose.

"She probably wants to show off her new scar," said Bruce.

"The one with the teeth? It looked pretty fresh to me"

"She got another one? Well I better go before she hits someone with her arms," said Bruce as he walked towards Lucy. Rose found herself wishing she had a drink or food or anything really to occupy herself from the awkwardness.

"What made you decide to be a nurse?" Steve eventually asked.

"Well Lucy suggested it and I just went along with it. But once I started I found it very interesting. My mom and dad were these local heroes back home and after this one incident that made them famous dad went on to being a police."

"I always thought it was because it would be the natural thing to do. He saved a few lives so he found a job that did the same thing. I guess it took nursing for me to figure out the real reason," said Rose.

"And what reason is that?"

"Well it sounds cheesy but I think the reason is love. He loves his family so he wants to protect them but I think he loves his city too. The people he lives and works with, he went to school with a lot of them, and I think he found protecting them with security was the best way to show that," said Rose.

"Do you think it goes for every hero?"

"I hope so. My Uncle George, remember the one who owns a joke shop, he was part of the event my parents were in and I think his reasons for founding a joke shop are the same. He wants to spread happiness and I think that's his way of showing his love."

"It's a bit idealistic. I would have thought you had a more cynical view," admitted Steve.

"I might have, a few weeks ago. And there are lots of reasons why people do things but it's nice to think that at least one of the reasons is noble."

She didn't dare look at Steve. She knew he was a hero and that he would take her definition personally. Or at least try to see if it applied to his personal experience. She knew that not everyone chose a job for love. People did it for money or because they were interested in a certain subject. But she knew she kept herself in the nursing program because she came to love her job and its implications.

"Well it was nice talking to you. I better go and say hi to Natasha though. She'll kill me if I don't even greet her after not seeing her for so long," said Rose.

She heard his soft good bye before taking a deep breath. She managed to survive a conversation alone with him without going crazy. A few days ago she probably would have just stood there but she was glad she was able to talk to Steve like a regular person.

Perhaps their relationship was over but she hoped this meant that they could at least be friendly to one another.

_***…***_

"Do you know what this means Rose? You have a chance with Steve!"

"Honestly Molly I think you're a bit too happy with this piece of information. Should I warn Tony about his new competition?"

"There's no need for your cheek here. You know how you feel about him and I'm sure he still has feelings for you. Your all sorted out and there's no other woman. Go and talk to him," insisted Molly.

"You're not being fair to either Rose or Steve," injected Lucy.

"How is putting back together a great couple not fair?"

"Have you ever considered that maybe I don't want to get back together with Steve? Or that Steve doesn't want to get back together with me? Yes we mended the bridge a bit but that doesn't mean we should go and dance on it," said Rose.

"I think what Rose means is that they are not the same people any more Molly. They've changed and going back to an old relationship wouldn't be fair to their development," said Lucy.

"Besides we've been friendly to each other and I've stopped avoiding the Tower so you see me more often," said Rose.

"I just want you to be happy," muttered Molly.

"But I am happy. I'm working at a marvelous place and I'm meeting a whole lot of amazing people. I don't need a relationship to be happy," said Rose.

"I know. It's just I feel bad when we go out on dates and you're alone," admitted Molly.

"If I recall I did the same to you. Besides I'm not alone. I've made friends with some of the nurses and we go out together sometimes."

And with that Molly decided to let the issue go. But Lucy's words were still ringing in Rose's head. She had changed. She was a different person and so was Steve. The relationship they had had been based on common interest and a familiarity with each other but it seemed so shallow now.

If Steve wanted the same laid back girl she was back then a new relationship could never flourish. She was too different now. She found a purpose to her life and she was happy with it. The same way her mum campaigned for rights she took care of her patients. She had a passion now that extended beyond reading books and people. She was no longer just an observer but also a quiet background worker. She had added to her personality and it wouldn't be fait to assume that Steve hadn't done the same. It was the nature of things, to move on and grow, and Rose did not begrudge him for it.

But today she had no work and she planned to enjoy herself s she shook off her thoughts before heading to a small café. She had found this place a while ago and she fell in love with their pastries. They weren't the same as the ones in France but they were still very delicious. But more than the food what she really enjoyed was the atmosphere. She might have found a new passion but books would always be a part of her.

The café had a huge literary circle and Rose loved discussing books with the new friends she had made while sipping coffee. She missed talking about books and having arguments about characters and treating the characters made of words as real as the movie stars gossiped about in magazines.

She almost smiled as she realized how nerdy she sounded but just as she turned the corner she stumbled out of the side walk as her head met a human shield.

"Steve?"

He looked as surprise as she was to find each other in such a casual setting.

"Rose, how are you?" said Steve.

"Good. I got a day off and decided to go and do something enjoyable. What about you?" said Rose.

"I was going out for some coffee," said Steve.

"Oh? Where at?"

"The…Starbucks?" He trailed off.

"Want to go somewhere better? Nothing against Starbucks but the place I have in mind is special," said Rose.

Steve didn't look one hundred percent sure but nodded nonetheless. They might be friendly to one another but there was still some level of awkwardness that refused to go away.

She led him down the familiar road as the small coffee place came to view. She had found this place on accident after a long morning of caffeine deprivation but that quickly went away when she met the literary circle that was meeting that morning. Tired as she may be she was still part Granger so when they started discussing a book she had recently read Rose was happily debating with the mismatched group and had frequented ever since.

It had a bar type of feel but the patrons and customers were all very friendly people. She went up to register and ordered her coffee and as soon as Steve ordered she took him towards a free table. The burgundy tinted walls gave the room a dark feel but it the cheery mustard décor added a hint of home. It always reminded her of Hogwarts and it seemed to relax Steve too.

The cashier called out their names and Rose went up to grab their order before going back to sit with Steve. She wasn't too surprised to see Larry sitting at the table. He was the unofficial leader of the literary circle and he always tried to make newcomers feel welcome. In fact the reason she kept coming back after the first time was because he reminded her so much of her grand dad.

"So Rose you brought in a new member?"

"Yeah, I kidnapped him from Starbucks," said Rose.

"Trust me," Larry turned to Steve, "After having a cup here you'll never go back."

"We'll see," Steve said politely.

"Well anyways Rose, Joe came back from some trip and is talking about this teenage romance novel she read on the plane ride. Something about vampires and such," said Larry with a teasing smile.

Rose shook her head as she joined the already heated debate going on a few tables over. She gleefully cheered Larry on as he joined the rumble and quipped in her own opinions as she watched from afar. She was concentrating on the chaos so when she turned to Steve she was a little shocked to see a small frown adorning his face.

She tried to decipher his puzzled frown and it took her an embarrassingly long time to figure it out. While she read avidly during their brief relationship she never really discussed what she read with such enthusiasm. She asked questions about research paper that Tony or Bruce wrote but she never really spoke about them lovingly. She always spoke from a critical point of view, tried to be as scientific in her analysis but she was discussing novels in an emotional sense now. Steve had never seen that because she never discussed her passions.

They had similar interest and Rose had stuck to those during their brief dating period. She didn't necessarily hide her other interest she just didn't actively proclaim them. Their relationship was built on mutual likes and it never really moved on from that comfort zone. Of course they had only dated for a few months and there were secrets they were keeping from each other but she never took the initiative to push the relationship to new limits. She never challenged him and he never challenged her because they both were afraid of losing a person that accepted them with such open affection and they both didn't want to destroy the potential of a serious relationship.

But that fear also stopped them from developing their relationship. Yes Rose broke up with Steve and they had a nice relationship because they were comfortable with each other but they didn't have that fire the adults in her life had in their relationships.

Her parents at glance didn't seem liked they would make a great couple but if you looked deeper you saw what it was that held them together. They seemed too different and they clashed over the most ridiculous topics. But that was all surface, love has layers and it takes more than a few threads to complete the tapestry.

They challenged each other and forced each other to question their views and find ways to defend their opinions. They had some similar interest, it's impossible to be friends for so long and not have some sort of base, but what really made their relationship was that they made each other into better people. It was the same thing for her grandparents and her uncles and aunts and it was even something that Molly and Tony shared. They had that ease of knowing that they could butt heads over details but at the end of the day they still accepted each other.

She never got a chance to do that with Steve because she never let Steve come too close to her. She skirted away from anything that she deemed dangerous and that doomed their relationship. It wasn't anything she did on purpose but rather some instinctual response that had ingrained in her psyche while growing up in the wizarding world. But she was slowly leaving that behind in the muggle world. She had found something that she strived in and she was forming bonds with people without second guessing their motivations.

"Well I can see you're not a literature brat," teased Rose.

"I never even knew they had bars where literary minds gathered. Well I knew of them but I didn't think they would discuss teenage fiction," said Steve.

"Were you expecting old pushy men talking about philosophy and the importance of a great American novel?"

Steve had the decency to blush at her slightly accusing tone.

"Well you're welcomed to come to these meetings, maybe we can prove you wrong," said Rose.

"I'm not really a literature person," said Steve.

"You can read right?"

"Yes but I don't analyze the books like you do," said Steve.

"You don't have to. Just read a book and tell us your opinion. It's that simple. We don't expect everyone here to sprout literary theory, we just expect people to give their honest opinion and back it up," said Rose.

Steve looked a little skeptical but Rose didn't give up, "You like movies right? Well if we watched _Arise, My Love_ and I asked you to tell me your favorite part would you be able to do that?"

"Of course."

"It's the same thing with a book. You can read anything and someone in the room will have at least heard of it. Or you can tell us the plot and people will ask questions. It's not always going to be this great debate," said Rose.

"I'll think about it," said Steve after some consideration and Rose couldn't help but beam at him.

_***…***_

It had been a few weeks (six her brain provided) since she dragged Steve to the coffee shop the first time but he started popping out every now and then. They had regained some of their old easy banter and even went to watch a movie with some of the literary circle regulars but they were still in friendship territory.

Rose wasn't sure if she really wanted to move away from it. She appreciated the fact that Steve accepted her quirks and was willingly spending time with her but she wasn't sure if she wanted to jump back to a relationship. Steve wasn't exactly the same person she had dated. He had more stern opinions and while he still was as polite as ever he asserted himself more. It wasn't a bad thing but it meant their relationship wouldn't be the same easy going one they had started with.

They had small disagreements and would argue over ideas but they didn't dampen the friendship. And the spats weren't that big of a deal but the put her slightly on edge because they reminded her so much of her parents. She knew if they got back together it would more serious and have even greater potential and she didn't want to mess up again.

She wanted to tell him about magic but how do you tell someone that you're a magical being? She wasn't afraid of his reaction anymore but she just didn't know how to tell him. Or more importantly when to tell him.

Should she tell him before even considering a relationship? At the beginning or should she wait for him to admit his Captain America secret? Should she take him to the Burrow and let him figure it out or should she just wave her wand and show him magic?

These were the questions that she was contemplated about as she walked to the bank. Actually they were bugging her all week but she really wanted to reach a solution soon. She had just reached the bank when her pocket began to vibrate. She had bought a charmed sneakoscope that looked like a cell phone so when she felt the vibrations her heart quickened. Something bad was going to happen.

She was already in a flight position when a blast from the building brought her crashing to the ground. She could hear screams coming from afar. She had never experienced the cries of war, the cries of help and desperation, and they shook her to the core. She wanted to run away from them, these horrible screams.

She was turning around when a small whimper caught her gaze. A young boy was strewn across the sidewalk. He looked so young and it reminded her of Hugo. Maybe he was the Hugo to some other Rose and suddenly she couldn't bear the thought of leaving him to die alone.

Maybe it was her profession or just human condition but seeing the little boy covered in blood forced Rose to jump to the danger. She had to save him regardless of the possibility of more explosions. She would never sleep with a clean conscious if she let the boy die now.

She made her way quickly to him before taking in his injuries. Her nursing instinct took over and she almost groaned in frustration when she saw the depth of his gash. He would bleed out if she waited for an ambulance. A little boy would die all because he was near a bank that was targeted by bomb-crazed maniacs. Or he would if she was a muggle. She was a witch and a simple wave of a wand would make him a survivor. He was already unconscious and there was no crowd so no one would ever know.

She would never dreamt that moment of mercy would have such heavy implications.

_***…***_

She was going back to her flat when she noticed a car was following her. If fact she was pretty sure that the very same car had been following her earlier that day. But of course that could just be the coffee talking as she had drowned plenty of cups the night before as she attempted to study for one of her classes. But that theory quickly flew out the door when a man stepped out of the car.

Immediately his posture reminded her of a ministry worker. Everything from the freshly pressed suit to the slightly tilt of the walk screamed Look-at-Me-I-Work-for-the-Government. She had seen the very same expression on Uncle Percy though he tried to tone it down at the Burrow.

She really hoped this was the American ministry hoping to chat with her rather than a muggle officer. But alas, Rose didn't share Uncle Harry's luck.

"Miss"

"Yes," Rose said cautiously.

"We had a few questions about the bombing of the bank," he said smoothly.

Rose hope it was simply about the bank. No one had seen her use magic and the building had been bombed so there was no way a security camera could have caught her. Maybe the bomb was planted by terrorist or something equally serious and they simply needed her statement. So it was with great nervousness that Rose followed the man into his car.

She didn't know where they were headed but figured it was somewhere important if they wasted resources following her. She knew muggles reacted to an extremity to terrorist threats so the behavior didn't seem so odd to her. Considering that the Avengers had an epic battle a while back it didn't seem like a stretch that they would spend as much money necessary to prevent a wide scale attack. For all she knew the bank bombing was one in many.

The building they arrived to was a bit plain. In fact it looked like a boring normal building that would have passed through her visions without a second glance. She was led inside and treated to a security scan and it was only once she passed the reception area that she began to suspect the seriousness of the situation.

The place had the feel of the Auror office. But she didn't have much time to dwell on it as she was quickly shuffled into a small room. There was a coffee maker and some cups and packs of sugar along with a circular table and chairs but the room lacked warmth. It was almost like an interrogation chamber with a badly done cheery paint job.

"Please have a seat. Someone will be here to take your statement shortly," the man said.

She didn't have to wait long before that someone came in. He was tall and the eye patch reminded her so much of the pictures of Alastor Moody that she felt herself straighten up on instinct. Stories of him were famous among the Weasley household that even the mere mentioning of his name gave the entire young Weasley horde the desire to prove themselves.

His stare was unnerving and Rose just wanted him to look away. She wanted to talk, dance, shout, anything that would make his stare less accusing. Perhaps her fear was obvious because the man turned his gaze to a stack of papers in his hand before glancing back at her.

"Rose Weasley, studying to be a nurse, originally from England," he stated and she nodded in confirmation.

"Can you tell me everything that happened the day you local bank was bombed," he said.

"I wasn't really paying attention but I remember walking to the bank around 10 in the morning and right before I reached it I was thrown back to the side walk by the blast. I stayed until the police came and took my statement and then I went back home," she said. She had done more than that but she couldn't very well tell him she used magic.

"Is that all you remember doing," he pressed.

"I saw a young boy," she stated carefully, "I'm studying to be a nurse so I went to him and checked his injuries. They were a little bad but after checking his wounds I concluded that they weren't seriously life threatening."

The man hummed before turning his attention to a glass behind her. "I want you to think real carefully at what you've told me. Leave nothing out," he tried again.

"I told you everything, just like I told the police," Rose frowned.

He nodded before he gave some sort of signal. A bright picture filled the wall and with horror Rose realized that it was footage from the attack. It wasn't the banks camera but it was one on the edge of an alley. It didn't give the best angle but it still showed enough.

"See what I want to know is how you knew about the attack," he said, "Even before the blast you're already positioned in a position of fight or flight. Either you knew about the attack or you're hiding something."

Rose sat stunned with disbelief. He didn't know about magic. She had gotten lucky. Well not lucky because there was some evidence showing she wasn't completely average but it wasn't so bad. She could fix this. She could give this scary man the answers he wanted to hear.

"My parents worked against terrorist attacks back home. Small attacks and stuff and my dad used to take me to his office and gave me a tips. I guess some lessons just stuck," Rose shrugged in an apologetic manner.

He didn't look convinced but he moved on from her explanation. He played the video again and this time Rose noticed what else got his attention. As she hesitated to heal the boy it was clear that she did something to him and the slight glow of magic was slightly visible but she wondered if this was because she knew of her act or if the magic residue was painfully obvious.

"You stated his injuries were not serious? I looked through the boy's medical report and they state that he is an anomaly. His internal injuries were serious and yet his outer wounds suggested otherwise. He is lucky that extensive scans were made since he reported no pain and could have otherwise gone undiagnosed," he said.

Rose paled at the information. She never studied extensive healing back home. She learn a few numbing spells and a few other spells to treat her brother from Quidditch injuries but she never thought about internal injuries. She just saw the blood and reacted to the surface wound. She had thought that magic would encompass it but she didn't stop to think otherwise.

"Of course he wasn't in danger of dying," he continued as he watched Rose closely, "But it did offer some discrepancies to your testimony."

She couldn't stop the small sigh of relief. Magic didn't endanger the boy's life. She got lucky but either way the boy survived.

"Care to explain how this is possible," he demanded.

Rose refused to answer. She may be willing to tell Steve (and by extension Tony and Bruce) about magic but she wasn't about to risk her magic over some unknown government worker. He could go through theories all he wanted, Rose wasn't about to tell him the truth.

"Perhaps this will help loosen your tongue," he said as he got up from his chair. He played with a switch and Rose felt her mouth form a small 'o' of surprise. She could see the entire Avengers cast standing in a room that was clearly watching her questioning.

"Maybe you can explain to your friends what happened. Maybe you are part of the terrorist that planted the bomb? Testing some new non-government approved serum on innocent children?"

His accusations were harsh and had no one been watching she wouldn't have said a thing but Steve was watching. He was listening and she couldn't bear the thought of losing him again. He might have forgiven her first mistake but he was patriotic to the core and if he thought that Rose would harm the country in any way he would cast her out of her life for good.

She never dreamed she would spill her secret in a situation like this but perhaps it was a blessing along with a curse. She wouldn't have to think up of ways to tell him now.

"I'm a witch," was all she said as she stared down at her hands in suspense.

_***…***_

She didn't say anything after she uttered that one sentence that brought out so many implications. The man questioned her but Rose refused to say anything else. She was already in hot water for telling him she was a witch she wasn't about to spill any more secrets. She could only hope the Ministry would come rescue her soon. Molly surely would have noticed her absence. If not Molly then Lucy would have known the second she was placed in the interrogation room.

It would seem Fate was smiling at her because after a few hours she heard the recognizable voice of a fellow wizard. She only knew it was a wizard because it was the same wizard that had drawn up her initial paper work when she first applied to move to New York. He wasn't a close family friend but he had gone to school with her parents. Ernie Macmillan, was his name, Rose recalled.

She could see the man was slightly shocked as the blond wizard entered the room with an air of utter most confidence. Her father thought he was a bit of a snob but Rose thought it fit his persona very well.

"Rose, it's been a long time," he greeted, "I should have known I would have to bail you out of trouble sooner or later. You are a Weasley after all."

"Who are you?" the man rudely interrupted.

"Ah. Yes I didn't properly introduce myself. Ernie Macmillan. I am a representative of the British government here to bring Rose Weasley back home."

"I didn't know the government was fostering terrorist."

"We're not. Rose Weasley is the part of a scientific research and as thus property of the British government. You have no concrete evidence to accuse her of acts of terror and you'll find none," said Ernie.

"She said she was a witch," the man stated.

Ernie turned to her sharply before he turned his attention back to her accuser. "She was given an experimental serum when she was younger and it was later evident that it gave her some sort of…upgrade. She is the only one and this upgrade seemed almost magical. A witch was the most convenient label we could place on her," Ernie explained.

"A scientific experiment?" the man said skeptically.

"I doubt you'll find that hard to believe," Ernie gestured towards the still watching Avengers, "She has magical healing abilities and is no harm towards society. But she is still property of the British government so I am afraid you'll have to excuse us as I am going to have to take her back."

Ernie gave the man no chance of protest as he swept her out the room. His grip was a bit painful but he didn't relent until they were safely inside a Ministry car.

"What were you thinking Rose? Telling him you were a witch? You're lucky this reached us back in England otherwise you would have created a huge nightmare," stressed Ernie.

"What do you mean?"

"You family has a lot of hold over the Ministry. Hermione created some documents to validate what I said and to prove you are the ONLY person with 'magic'. Any other person would have Obliviated the whole lot and snapped your wand," explained Ernie.

"You mean you won't snap my wand," said Rose in surprise.

"There was talk but in the end people were swayed to be more lenient. But you were given a choice. You could join the Avengers and pretend you are the only magic user or go back home and face the music," said Ernie.

"Why?"

"Your dad explained your relationship with the Avengers. He convinced that this can be used to have strong relations with the muggle world," explained Ernie.

"What if I don't want to be an Avenger? I don't particularly fancy the idea of joining some secret military group," said Rose.

"You go back to England and you're given some choices. Either way we are going to have to explain you to the American military. You're going to be under their watch for a while," said Ernie.

Rose was silent as the entire conversation washed through her. She might have hated the fame her family had but irony decided to slap her face since it seemed the one thing she hated now saved her from a worse fate.

"Just think about it," said Ernie as he pulled over to the American Ministry.

She could see the appeal of becoming a superhero. She saved lives every day as a nurse she was sure it wasn't such a leap in profession to save lives with magic. But she didn't want it. Her parents were heroes because of circumstances, not choice, and all they craved for was normality. It was something she wanted too. She loved saving lives as a nurse not because she saved lives through extraordinary means but because she formed bonds with a patient. She took care of them, saw them regularly, she got to know them as people so when she saved their lives she was saving a person and not just a life.

She always worked from the shadows, observing people, going into the spotlight went against her nature. She wasn't born to be a leader even though she had found a new drive and ambition it didn't mean she had a complete remake of her personality. She still liked to observe and play strategy. If she became a hero she would be a pawn and it wasn't something she was willing to become freely.

She needed to look at the situation in the simplest terms to avoid the mistakes she had made with Steve. No more analyzing the possible outcomes or imagining future scenarios. All that mattered was the core of the situation. She could live a lie or face the consequences of her actions.

Perhaps the Sorting Hat wasn't wrong after all.

**A/N: A longer chapter but there is a lot of details that had to be shown. There is still a lot of jumping around but I tried to show key moments and hopefully they are reasonable enough. **

**I also wanted to give Rose something to work for. Nursing seemed like a good option because while it requires a ton of work and is a very serious job you can get a nursing degree in 9 months (with an accelerated program) or 2 years and it doesn't require background. Rose going to a muggle university would require more extensive knowledge of schooling while nursing would not. It is also a profession that deals with saving lives and it gives Rose and Steve something in common that is more binding than small things like movies. **

**Also while the revealing of magic is serious it's not like she showed her true powers and it was somewhat fixable. Rose is still going to have to pay for this but it won't be to the extreme since she does have a famous family that tweaked the situation for her. **

**As always comments are welcomed and I'd love to hear your reaction to this chapter. **

**Thank you for all the reviews and to everyone that favorite or is following this story. **


	5. Chapter 5

Molly didn't know what to do with the ominous letter. The owl was an average owl and the parchment was just a piece of parchment but the dark seal told her everything. It was a bearer of bad news and Molly knew it had something to do with Rose. But she was the protector, the sensible one that looked after everyone so she took that letter and braced herself for the worst.

It was almost physically painful when she read the words. Her stomach was rebelling and her eyes seemed to make it their personal mission to burn her face to death. And it was all because of one little word: dead.

According to this letter Rose Weasley was dead as decreed by the Wizarding Court for allowing the secret of wizarding to be spilt upon the muggle world. Molly want to shred the letter, she wanted to shred into a million little pieces in an effort to make that statement false.

So invested in her emotions that Molly didn't even notice when Lucy walked in the room. "What's wrong?"

Molly flinched at the question. What's wrong? Oh, so many things were wrong. Rose was dead. She now knew she could never tell Tony her secret and now she had to go back to England. But Molly didn't say any of that. Instead she handed the letter to Lucy and turned away as her sister's face fell.

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The next time Lucy and Molly made their way to Stark Towers it wasn't with the usual good cheer. In fact Molly didn't want to go at all but Lucy insisted that their friends needed to know. She didn't want them to know though. In fact she was feeling a bit resentful. The Avengers were part of the organization that signed Rose's death sentence and even though logically they didn't have a hand at it their mere fact of association made her blood boil. She knew it was the grief talking so she held her tongue as Lucy dragged her to Tony's.

In fact it was Lucy that called them all together, leaving Molly in awe. Lucy who is such a free spirit took an organizing role and Molly was grateful. She always took care of everything but when she got the news of Rose's death she fell apart. Lucy stepped up and she couldn't be gladder. It was more than just Rose's death, it was the secret of magic that also shook her core. Rose let it slip and now Molly was even more wary of letting Tony know about her heritage.

"What's wrong Mols?" Tony's voice broke through.

She froze as she looked around the room, her eyes settling on Lucy. She didn't want to say anything, to make it even truer, so she reached into her purse and took out the dreaded letter and handed to Tony.

She looked away as the news sunk in. She had already seen the look of grief in the mirror once too many.

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"Why is the funeral so official? I didn't think Rose was part of the British government?" said Bruce as they waited in Ministry cars.

"Her parents are closely affiliated with it," explained Molly.

"And Rose is not," pushed Tony.

"She was expected to be but no," said Molly. She knew that they knew the truth; about magic. But Tony, Bruce and Steve didn't know. It was Ironman Hulk and Captain America that were the ones privy to the truth.

"Expected to?"

"Aunt Hermione is part of the government and was part of this big organization and everyone always compares Rose to Aunt Hermione that is was just expected that Rose would be like her," said Lucy.

"Seems like a big shadow to escape from," murmured Tony.

"Miss Weasley we are arriving at the Ministry," the driver's voice called out.

"The Ministry? Why are we at the Ministry," said Steve.

"Rose's parents want to meet you," Molly said as she tried to assure them.

"They're still working?" Bruce said in a carefully controlled tone.

"The Minister is going to the funeral. We're all meeting there before going off," said Molly.

It only took a few more minutes before the car arrived at their destination. Molly couldn't stop fretting. She knew it was out of her hands but she could not help but worry. They were meeting her family, the people who helped shape her, but most importantly they were going to be introduced to her life.

Her father had owled her to let her know that they were going to take official measures in regards of the Avengers. They were closely integrated to their lives and it was only a matter of time before something was let slipped. They needed to take proper arrangement lest something like Rose happened again.

"A Ministry worker will lead you," the driver informed them as they stumbled out of the car.

It was time to face the music.

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"So you're telling me that Rose is not a product of scientific experiment?" Tony asked for the third time.

"For that last time Tony, no! She's a witch," Molly said.

"That's a harsh word," said Steve.

"It's what we are," said Lucy.

"We?"

"You honestly think that Rose is the only person with superpowers? Don't you think the government would have stopped her from working as a book shop helper?" said Molly.

"She could be a secret agent," Tony offered.

"Maybe you should just show them," suggested Percy. Molly and Lucy shared a look and with a huff Lucy took out her wand.

"What are you doing?" said Steve cautiously.

"Magic"

"You think a stick— " Tony stopped mid-sentence as Lucy shot some sparkles off her wand. They gaped a bit before they turned their heads towards Molly.

"Wait, if Lucy can do this…magic too does that mean you can too," said Steve.

She hesitated a bit before nodding in confirmation, "Most of our family can. There's a whole society of magic users, our family isn't the only one."

"How can a whole society be hidden? How can you hide something like this from the government?" Bruce asked with quiet curiosity.

"Magic," said Lucy, "It can do more than just pretty sparkles."

"Then why is Rose dead? If she can do magic couldn't she save herself?"

"She exposed the magic society," said a Ministry worker, "We have been successful in keeping our identity a secret and Rose broke one of our fundamental laws."

"So you killed her for it," Tony said in outrage.

"It was the kinder thing. She could have simply been Obliviated and had her wand snapped," the worker said as the girls gasped in horror.

"What's worse than death?"

"She would have had her memory erased and her wand snapped," said Molly.

"How is that worse?"

"Magic is a part of you. It marks you and Rose has lived her whole life surrounded by magic. To have something that encased her life so completely forgotten it would have changed her personality dramatically," said Lucy.

"And she would have lost a part of her without knowing what it is. A wand is…it's an extension of you. It _chooses_ you and forms a bond. It would be like losing a limb or a friend and she would never know _why_ she feels like that," added Molly.

"It doesn't change how wrong her death was," Tony continued stubbornly.

"We know," said Lucy.

"If you want to go to her funeral you have to swear not to reveal any aspects of the event. You could walk away now with a simply memory modification," said Percy.

"Why do we have to swear dad? We already know about magic," said Molly.

"It is simply procedure," Percy said as he put on his Ministry persona.

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"Are we at the Burrow?" Molly said incredulously.

"We are! Look I can see Victoire and Aunt Fleur," said Lucy as she joined Molly at the window.

"None of them look particularly sad," observed Bruce.

"Maybe Uncle George spiked the water or something?"

"Molly! Lucy! You're here. I really wish you didn't have to go so far away for work. Charlie is bad enough but you girls," Grand mum Weasley said as she all but dragged the girls out of the car.

"And you three," she said as she turned towards the men, "You all look like a gust of wind will carry you away. There's plenty of food at the house. Come on," she said as she steered them towards the Burrow.

"No one looks like they're going to a funeral," Steve commented.

"Oh? It's because Rosalind is here," said Al as he emerged from the house.

"Who is Cousin Rosalind? I never heard of her before," said Lucy.

"Rosalind Granger? She's our new cousin that is going to the States to study nursing," said Al.

"Wait, you mean…"Molly trailed off as Al beamed.

"That's brilliant! But how—I thought – when did this happened?"

"Dad pulled a few strings. Rosie is his god daughter after all," Al said with an eye roll.

"Jealously doesn't suit you Al," a voice said from the door.

"Rose!" was heard from the entire party.

"So magic brings people from the dead now," said Tony as he eyed Rose.

"Who said I died?"

"We got an owl— ("Owl?")—and then the Ministry said it was the lesser of two evils," said Molly.

"Well they had to get rid of American scrutiny. I mean the president knows and now the heads of the sectors know that official "Rose Weasley" is dead but they don't know about magic. They still think I was an experiment or something."

"Why did you have to "die"?" asked Bruce.

"Well it was either join the super heroes or face an inquiry at the Ministry," Rose shrugged.

"And you chose potential death over being a superhero?"

"We can't all be Ironman, Tony," teased Rose.

"You know?"

"Of course we know. It was really obvious, you know. I would think the Avengers would get a bigger budget to at least make an effort to hide your identities," said Rose.

"When did you find out?" asked Steve.

"I knew since the day I met you," said Rose bluntly, "It wasn't that hard."

"So you all knew about us and didn't tell us your secret," accused Tony.

"I knew," said Bruce.

"Lucy! You know we can't tell people," scolded Molly.

"But I wanted to be friends with Bruce. If I told him and he didn't believe me I would have just left it to the Ministry," said Lucy.

"See! Lucy knows you have to start a relationship based on truth," said Tony.

"You really aren't paying attention today. She said she would have let the Ministry take care of me. They would have modified my memory but Lucy wouldn't have lost anything. If Molly did that she would lose her boyfriend," said Bruce.

"And you really can't talk. From what I know you never told Molly your little secret," added Al as he watched the scene unfold.

"So my secret isn't the reason why you left," Steve asked Rose from the side as Tony was teased from all sides.

"No, it was all me. I should have just told you," admitted Rose.

"Yes, you should have," agreed Steve.

"Why didn't you want to be a super hero?" Tony cut in.

"It would defeat the purpose of leaving England," said Rose.

"Why did you leave? I mean your entire family is here and you could have been part of the magic community here," said Bruce.

"You need to meet the family first," said Al, "Everyone is here so you have the perfect opportunity. Just don't go with Aunt Fleur, she's not fond of Americans."

As they turned to leave Rose grabbed Steve, leaving them separated from the crowd. She really didn't want to subject Steve to an interrogation from the Weasley men. Not when things were still in a shade of grey.

"So do you want to go get coffee or something?"

Steve looked at her with a face full of shock.

"We can talk about you being an Avenger and me being a witch," Rose said with a smile as she recalled their first conversation.

He only hesitated for a moment, before he answered.

"Yes."

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**A/N: Very late and I'm sorry but life happens. I'm abroad for the year and as the semester ended I got busy going around trips as my friends prepared to go back to the States. **

**Hopefully you enjoyed the ending. I have an alternative ending planned out and outlined but I'm not sure when I will put it up in **_**Wonderwall**_**. **

**Thank you for all the favorites and follows and to everyone who has reviewed the story. **

**That being said I would love to hear your thought on this chapter. It's a bit fragmented so I'm not too sure what the will be. I'm happy with this ending, it's a happy ending all around even if it left a lot of unanswered question. But I plan to make a couple of one shots that will address the issues swept under the rug. **


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